Metal fence-post.



- H. HIGGIN.

METAL FENCE POST.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1912.

1,056,173. Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

lit A 6 Zlllll All 6 UNITED STATE PATENT QFFICE.

HENRY HIGGIN, OF NEWPORT, KENTUCKY.

METAL FENCE-POST.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Hnxny HIGGIX, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Newport, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Metal Fence-Posts, of which the follow ing is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to fence posts formed from an integral piece of sheet metal, usually of galvanized iron, and provided with means for securing fence wires thereto.

The object of my invention is to provide a construction in which the metallic structure shall not be weakened by the formation of tongues in the body of the metal, while at the same time tongues shall be provided forming an integral part of the construction, so that separate devices for supporting and holding the wires shall not be necessary.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my improved posts showing the wires in place. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of a portion of the post. Fig. 3 is a cross section of the same. Fig. ft is a plan view of a portion of the sheet from which the post is constructed.

The posts are formed from a single plate of sheet metal 1, which is bent into tubular form, with the side edges 2, 3, abut-ting. The sheet is so cut that when bent into shape, the tubular posts shall be tapering from top to bottom, with a uniform taper and broader at the bottom. Along each side edge of the flat sheet 1 before it is bent into shape, a series of tongues at, a, are cut, and as many sets of tongues as it is desired to secure wires to the posts are provided, with the two tongues of each set directly opposite each other on the blank, and with each set of tongues cut in from the top, so that each tongue will be integrally connected with the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 6, 1912.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

Serial No. 729,741.

body of the blank at the bottom, at 5. lVhen the tongues are cut, they are bent backward slightly so as to project from the plane of the sheet, and when the sheet is bent into cylindrical form, as the tongues are cut from the side edges, as shown, and project upwardly, they form hooks to receive the wires 6.

here the quality of the ground will per mit, the posts are driven in by striking them on top, or they may be placed in post holes and securely tamped. The wires 6 are then located in place and the tongues preferably bent around the wire, as shown at 7 in Fig. 2. Inasmuch as the holding tongues are in pairs, when clamped around the wire (3 they not only hold the wires securely in place, but also lock and hold the cylindrically shaped metal from springing open at the seam, thus serving two purposes. In addition to this, inasmuch as the tongues are cut from the side edges of the metal instead of the body of the metal, the strength of the sheet metal. is not weakened, and a much more rigid and substantial post is the result over sheet metal posts of the same thickness of metal in which the holding tongues are struck up from the body of the metal.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A metallic fence post formed from an in tegral blank of sheet metal, with tongues cut from the side edges of the metal, said tongues formed in pairs, one in each side edge, adapted to meet at the seam when the blank is bent to shape, said tongues projecting upwardly to form hooks to support the fence wire and to lock the side edges of the blank to prevent opening of the seam.

HENRY HIGGIN.

Attest:

ANNA T. DIENs'r, HELEN L. AIcHHoLz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

